1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is novel sandals which contain loose sand or other granular material forming a pad continually conforming to the shape of a person's foot as the sandal is being walked upon.
2. Description of the Related Art
The enclosed described invention is an improvement upon the Inventor's prior invention as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 192,165 and filed May 10, 1988 entitled SANDAL WITH CONTAINED GRANULAR MATERIAL TO PROVIDE A PAD FOR A PERSON'S FOOT.
The Inventor's prior invention relates to sandal footwear which provides an envelope or container to confine sand or other granular material adapted to be in contact with the wearer's bare foot, permitting the foot to make its own pattern in the sand or granular material as the wearer brings his foot down with its different and various points of pressure The sandal also provides the bare foot with maximum freedom from restraint and with minimum closure of the footwear about the foot.
The prior invention provided in its article of footwear a lower shell and sole portion which contacted the ground surface, the lower shell and sole portion providing a cuplike plenum housing a mid-sole, the mid-sole providing various shapes such as a forward going or backward going wedge, or having a constant thickness from toe to heel. The sand or granular material resided atop the mid-sole to provide a layer or pad upon which the wearer's bare foot resided.
The sandal provided three straps encircling the foot, firstly at the area of the toe, the instep, and then the person's heel. The toe and instep straps were so designed to be spaced above the person's foot when the person was standing in the sandal but, as the person raised his foot in walking or otherwise moving his foot, the foot would rise up to engage the straps in order to bring the sandal along with the person's foot as he moved. To achieve this, 1/8 to 1/2 inch clearance was allowed between the top of the person's toes and the bottom of the toe strap, as well as a greater clearance between the person's instep and the instep strap. Both straps were attached to the upper portions of the lower shell containment apparatus with the toe strap and the instep strap fixedly attached to opposite sides of the lower shell proximate the same area of the feet.
The heel strap, however, was adapted to continually engage the wearer's heel in a rather snug, although not tight, manner. The heel strap was also attached to the upper portions of the lower shell in the area of the forward or toe portion of the lower shell, however, provisions were made in order that the heel strap should be permitted to pivot upward to allow the person's heel to move substantially above the pad of sand and mid-sole of the sandal as the person walks.
This combined function of the pivoting heel strap, intermittently engaging instep strap and rearward inclining mid-sole is to keep the sand distributed at a relatively level surface for the bare foot to impinge upon.
At the front top portion of the sandal footwear was a plastic or fabric upper cover which attached to the upper portions of the lower shell in its front section and then joined with the up-raised heel portion of the lower shell to form the inlet/outlet or mouth of the sandal which provided entrance into the sandal and also encompassed the person's ankle. In addition, brush like bristles spanned the distance between the sandal mouth and the person's ankle in order to provide a top closure or seal to prevent escape of sand or other contained granular material.
The inventor has made substantial improvements upon his prior invention in doing away with the interior straps and substituting other novel means to contain the foot, but yet allow the freedom from restraint desired. The novel improvements added by the Inventor obviate problems associated with interior straps, such as the person getting his toes caught in the straps when first the wearer enters the sandal with his foot, as well as the problems associated with having the straps not being the correct length and/or not providing the correct clearance above various person's various sized feet, especially with respect to a person's arches.
Accordingly, it is apparent that there would be great value in improving sandals having contained granular material to provide a pad for a person's foot to obviate problems of interiorly located straps.